Mamma's Boy
by SKRowling
Summary: Ever wonder Why Horace is such a Mamma's boy? I do Here's my take on that. Rated M... Because I will not be held responsible for my later chapters. It's a dramady... because I can't help being funny.
1. We've Tried So Hard

**Mamma's Boy**

**S.K. Rowling**

**Disclaimer: Commander In Chief…. Not mine…. Rod Louries… any questions? Good . Lets get on with it.**

**A/N: Same as Freaky Friday… except this time it is a Horace story… Duh. Enjoy.**

**We've tried so Hard**

Mac paced the room. She was late, and she was nervous as she paced her bedroom while she waited on the pregnancy test.

Rod sat at the foot of the bed watching her as if he were watching a tennis match. "Mac relax. The results are not gonna come any faster if you keep moving."

"Two weeks Rod. I'm late two weeks. This has to be it." Mac said. They had been trying for two years to get pregnant to no avail. At first yeah it was fun. They hadn't gone at it like that since they first started dating. After a while it got old very fast. It was like a chore. Rod was unwilling to rush home every night when he knew she might be ovulating. Mac on the other hand just wanted to make sure that Rod came.

"sit down with me a second will you?" Rod said pulling her down with him.

Irate Mac sat next to her husband. She just knew the test was negative. She had miscarried three times in the past two years. She knew what it felt like to be pregnant. She didn't feel pregnant. She didn't want to tell him that. She knew Rod didn't find her appealing anymore. "Maybe we should adopt?"

"Mac," Rod said rolling his eyes. He looked at her and sighed, "Let's just get through this, and then we can weigh out our options."

She nodded and then the timer went off. Mac jumped at the ding and looked nervously toward the bathroom. "Oh god it's ready."

"Do you want me to look?" He asked

"Yes..." she said then stood up, "No wait... okay yes."

Rod stopped to look at his wife to make sure she had made up her mind, then headed into the bathroom and picked up the stick that could make or break him. His marriage was fragile and he knew it. This little stick could cost him dearly. He looked at it and peeked at the results. Not pregnant... Not pregnant. He read it again and again before he could compute. "Shit." he whispered.

"Honey what's it say?" Mac asked coming to the door unable to resist any longer.

"I'm sorry honey." Rod stated his eyes downcast.

Mac slumped against the wall. She felt as if she were a failure as a woman. There was nothing wrong with her... and there wasn't anything wrong with Rod. Why on earth couldn't they get this right? "So we'll adopt."


	2. We Need A Break

**Maybe We Need a Break**

"Okay, we could adopt a kid... But Mac, I really want my own. Can't we just try again?" Rod said in frustration heading back towards their bed.

"Rod, I can't go again, I can't do this anymore." Mac said leaning against the door frame.

"Mac... please just one more time."

"No," Mac said in frustration, "I suggest you find someone else to carry your seed Rod, because obviously, I can't help you." Mac shouted slammed the door to the bathroom. She needed to be alone. She sat limply on the toilet and cried.

"I don't want anyone else Mac, you know that." Rod said coming to the door and resting his forehead on it immediately regretting pushing one more try.

"I just can't do this anymore." Mac cried, "I've never felt like such a failure in my life."

"You're not a failure."

"There is nothing wrong with me; there is nothing wrong with you. Why can't I seem to hold on to the children I do conceive." Ma placed her head in her hands.

"Maybe we should try another way." Rod said opening the door and making his way to her slowly. He hated to see her crying. He reached out and ran a hand through her long red hair. "We haven't tried..."

Mac shook her head, "No... I can't. Maybe we should just quit." she motioned between them. "Maybe we should take a break, I don't want to resent you but I'm beginning to."

Rod dropped his hands. Rod stared at her, how long had she been thinking about this? Was he hearing her right? "What do you mean?"

"I think that, this whole thing, has strained our marriage to the point where we may need to be apart... so that we can reevaluate us."

Rod's mind was reeling; he could not believe what he was hearing. "You want to separate? Why?"

"I've been thinking about it for some time now. I need some time to adjust to this. So I'll go to Mom and Dad's for a while." Mac stood up.

"Don't bother," Rod said bitterly turning away from Mac. "I have a client in New York that I need to tend to. I'll just move my case files to the city, and I'll stay there."

Mac nodded, "fine." She said then walked out of the bathroom. "I'm going out; will you be home when I get back?"

Mac turned to look at her husband. Rod stared back, searching her eyes. He saw so much conflict in her eyes, but what overruled it all was resentment. She resented him, wanted him to be gone. He wanted to be there for her; wanted to hold her until she felt better. But she looked at him so disdainfully that he stepped back. "Probably not."

Again she nodded and walked out of her home. She was a chin quivering, eyes tearing and snotty mess. She sat in her car a few minutes before starting it and heading away from home. She didn't know where she was going, but she had to get the hell away from there.

* * *

"I don't know Mike; it's just so hard to be around him lately." Mac said downing the remainder of her sixth Margarita. Mike had walked in two drinks before having made the fortunate mistake of calling her. She had sounded rather odd to him, and asked her what she was doing. He immediately took off for The Barking Dog, hoping that no one would take advantage of his friend.

"What do you mean?" Mike asked watching her down her drink. He worked with Mac at the firm. Having known each other from college, Anthony Prado set them both up for interviews there. Never in all the time he had known her, had he ever seen this woman so far gone.

"It's like all we ever do is argue, and talk about having kids and I'm sick of it. I'm not even sure I want kids." Mac said beginning to ramble. Mike knew this wasn't true. Mac was hurt and disappointed. He could see the hurt in her eyes when she said that. "The sex sucks you know. We're just going through the motions. There are no emotions involved anymore."

"Mac I don't want to know..." Mike said squirming in his seat. He was still in deep like for this woman, and he didn't want to hear this. Even though she rejected him as a boyfriend, she was still his good friend, so he listened.

"I'm serious... At first... My god we were at it like Rabbits and it was good." Mac said signaling for another margarita. "But lately it's all scheduled, and dry. There is no foreplay it's just sex, then good night. We haven't made love in a year."

"Mac..."

"I hate being used like some sort of sperm bank Mike," She said a bit angrily. Mike put an arm around her and pulled her close. He held her while she cried there was nothing he could say.

"Its okay hon. you don't ever have to be used like that again." He whispered.

"You wouldn't do that to me would you Mike?" Mac turned her head facing Mike's neck and she kissed it. "Because I know you love me."

"Mac, you're drunk honey, let's go home." He said moving to walk her to the car.

"Wait," Mac said reaching for the last margarita and taking as much of it in as she could. "It would be a shame to waste this."

"Mac you've had enough lets go." Mike said holding her up with one arm and dropping a bunch of money on the table.

"Mike, do you love me?" Mac said as mike helped her into the passenger seat.

"Of course I do." He said buckling her up.

"Rod doesn't love me you know." Mac said softly, "He wouldn't have left if he did."

"You asked him to leave Mac." Mike said pulling out of the parking lot and heading to his friends house.

She was quiet to the point that Mike thought she had fallen asleep. "He shouldn't have left." He heard her say softly.

"Maybe he didn't leave." Mike answered. But when they got to her house, it was dark. Rod never left her without light. "Got your keys?"

She shook her hand jingling the keys there, and he handed them over to him. He walked to her side and pulled her out of the car holding her flush against him as he opened the door. Mac stared at his neck then leaned her face closer and kissed his neck. "Make love to me." She whispered, "I miss Love."

"Mac, I wouldn't make love to you today, even if you were sober. I know you won't remember this tomorrow, so I'm going to tell you. I will always want you, but you belong to Rod. So even if I gave you my love, all I would be getting from you is your body. I would need all of you." With that he pushed the door open and brought her to her living room couch.

Outside Rod drove by the house, He wanted to beg to stay. He should never have told her he would leave. But he saw the scene. He saw Mac kiss Mike's neck.

Mike, that bastard was always trying to take Mac from him. He had once told him as much. Rod had taken him up on that challenge. He really liked Mackenzie, and he wasn't going to step aside just because her friend was too afraid to make his move when he had the chance.

Mike just couldn't take that Mac had chosen Rod over him. Well, the way Stanton was holding on to her, told Rod that Mike was going to get his wish and that they were getting ready to do the one thing that Mac only grudgingly gave him lately.

His insides twisted into knots. He felt sick, Mac was in the arms of another, and here he was ready to apologize for being so insensitive and selfish. He grew resentful and drove away. _If that's the way she wants it, so be it._


	3. False Negative

**Don't worry Lara this is a TOTALY different story.**

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* * *

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False Negative

It was late Monday morning andMac was on her knees in her bathroom worshiping the porcelain god for the third day in a row. "God," she moaned, **"**how long am I going to pay for this?" Her first hangover ever, and it had to be a record. She had never heard of a three-day hangover.

She**'**d called the firm earlier in the morning and told them she wasn't coming in—no way, with the way she felt. She could only imagine how bad she looked.

Her phone rang. "Hello." Mac said hoarsely.

"Hey Darling, how're you feelin'?"

"Hey Daddy**…** you're back," she responded with as much enthusiasm as she could muster.Her father, Admiral Michael Allen had been gone for three months. No matter what happened Michael always checked in with his daughter, and Mac was always happy to hear his voice.

"I called your firm and your assistant told me you were sick at home."

"Yeah**…** it's some stomach thing" She said closing the lid of the toilet

"I just thought I'd warn you, that your mom is on the way." Mac imagined the smell of her mother's chicken soup and smiled.

"Is she bringing the soup?" she asked.

"You better believe it." Michael said. Mac could hear the smile in his voice.

"Excellent, how about the cookies?"

"She's probably got all the fixings for that with her."

"Thanks for the heads up Daddy, but I could really use her company today." Mac said walking down to her lower level and peeked out to see her mother pull up.

"Uh, Oh what did Rod do now? I'll kill him." Michael could hear the sadness in his daughter's voice, and though the threat sounded empty, it wasn't.

As her father spoke, she heard a familiar knock at the door and went to open it. "Oh, It's a lot of different things." she told him, "But Mom is here, so I'm gonna hang up."

"Talk to your mom," Michael said.

"Sure," Mac said and mouthed the word 'dad' at her mother's questioning look. "I'm gonna go eat my soup." Mac followed Kate Allen to the kitchen.

"Bye baby" he said andthen hung up the phone.

"What's wrong honey?" Kate asked pulling out a bowl.

"I have a hangover that won't quit." Mac said sitting at her breakfast bar.

"You went drinking on a Sunday night?" Kate asked.

"I went out on Friday."

"Is Rod sick too? Because it sounds like the stomach flu." Kate knew it couldn't possibly have lasted this long

"I don't know how Rod is, I haven't seen him since Friday afternoon." Mac sat impatiently waiting for her mother to set down the bowl.

Kate watched her daughter for a while, before settingthe soup down in front of her. "Is it a work thing?" Kate asked going back to the cupboard to start on some cookies.

"Sort of" Mac answered taking a sip of the soup. Her stomach rebelled and she set the spoon down disappointed.

Kate reached into her purse and pulled out some saltines and handed them to Mac. "What does **s**ort of mean?"

"I told him I wanted to stop trying to have a baby, that I was tired of all of it." Mack nibbled on a saltine thoughtfully, "That I was tired of him and that maybe we should separate."

"And he actually left?" Kate asked incredulously.

"Yes."

"Without a fight?" Kate was surprised… this didn't sound like something her son-in-law would do.

"I guess not." Mac shrugged and watched her mother bake the cookies.

"You shouldn't have gone drinking that night" Kate said firmly. "And I'm not saying it because someone could have taken advantage of you, because they could have" Mac squirmed a little inside at the disapproving look her mother had given her."I'm telling you this because I think you're pregnant."

Mac balked and rolled her eyes."I already took one of those tests." She took another saltine and dipped it in the soup. "It was negative."

Kate wiped her hands on her apron and joined her daughter at the table. "Mackenzie Allen, I know that you realize that sometimes those tests are wrong." She took her daughters hand to keep her from completely blanking out before she said what she was about to say. "I think you should take another one. Let's call your doctor today."

"Mom," Mac protested.She didn't want to think about it. This was the reason her life was in the state it was in. If she went to her doctor that day, and she was negative again, it could very well destroy her.

"Listen to your body Mac, what is it telling you?" Kate said softly still holding on to her daughter's hands. Mac stared into the bowl of soup she'd heard what her mother was saying, and she was listening to her body. "If there's even a chance that you could be pregnant you've got to take care of yourself and that baby starting today. You can't put this off."

"Okay, I'll go today." Mac affirmed and took a tentative spoonful of soup.

* * *

On Tuesday afternoon Mac sat working at her desk. She still felt lousy but knew that she really couldn't miss work again. She'd taken a blood test but was still awaiting the results. Not, that she thought that she could actually be pregnant. Her life just didn't work like that.

She still hadn't seen nor heard from Rod. She felt hurt, angry and confused by his absence and by his silence. Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by her assistant

"Mac you have a call from Dr. Perkins on two." Emma saidpeeking into the room.

"Okay**…** thanks Emma" Mac said looking up from the deposition she was reading. "Good afternoon Dr. Perkins."

"Mackenzie, I have the results of your test."

Despite being prepared for the worst, Mac held her breath. "We need you to set up an appointment sometime next week."

"Why do I need an appointment… is something wrong?" Mac asked, her blood running cold. She mentally berated herself for letting herself feel hopeful.

"Nothing's wrong," she gently reassured her. "You're pregnant."

Mac almost dropped the phone. Did she really hear what she thought she'd heard? "I'm what?"

The doctor laughed, she knew that that Mac would be doubtful and delighted herself in repeating the phrase. "Mac, you're pregnant—there's no doubt about it. I need to see you to determine the approximate due date.We also want to monitor you closely for the first and second trimesters. "

"Oh my god," Mac whispered her shock sitting back in her leather chair.

"Your history of miscarriage," the doctor continued, "and the alcoholic binge you had last Friday could have really injured your child." The information about her weekend escapade had come to his attention courtesy of her mother.

Mac didn't know what to say or think…or feel. Was she excited? Was she sad? What was she going to tell Rod? Should she even bother?

"Mackenzie?" Dr. Perkins said after hearing no response from her.

"Okay," Mac said and finally looked at her calendar. "How's next Friday?"

"Perfect," the doctor said. I'll set you up. "How about eight o'clock?"

"That's fine," she said absentmindedly and he hung up. Mac, however, just sat at her desk with the phone still in her hand. She was pregnant. The whole fight with Rod could have been avoided completely.

Now he was gone, because of a false negative. Mac finally put down the phone and placed her hand on her abdomen. "We'll tell Daddy about you later," she whispered to her little surprise.

She tried to get back to reading the deposition on her desk but very quickly gave up.

She got up and headed out of her office. "Emma, I'm still not feeling well and I'm going home early. Call me if anything."

"Okay Mac" Emma said as she watched her boss walk out of the firm without another backward glance.


	4. I Wish I were Happy

**I Wish I Were Happy**

Mac didn't hear from Rod for three weeks. She tried to talk to him, she felt obligated to. But he never returned her calls. He had never frozen her out like this before. Grant it this was a larger fight than usual, but she never thought that he would do this to her. Mac sat in her car in the driveway of their house making yet another attempt to contact him. No answer, "What the hell!" She slammed the cell phone shut.

She got out of the car and walked towards the house. Just as she had gotten the door open, Rod pulled up. Mac got so angry that she threw the cell phone at his windshield. "What the hell Mac?" Rod said jumping out.

"I've been trying to get a hold of you for the past three weeks Rod." Mac said going inside the house.

"I didn't think you missed me." Rod said indignantly trying to make her feel guilty. He had watched the phone ring every day for the past three weeks. Every day at the same time, right before she walked in the house. He knew, because he made a trip from New York every day like a stalker, thinking that would be the day when he would come and talk to her and then deciding to let her suffer just a little longer. She'd hurt him, by asking him to leave. So he left, she couldn't have it both ways.

He followed her inside and watched her as she walked through the living room dropping her briefcase, purse and keys along the way.

She stopped short and whirled around. "What? It doesn't really matter weather I missed you or not. You are still my husband."

He glared; He needed to fight this out. He needed to argue about this, to get it off his chest. So he hit below the waist. "Like I was your husband that first night? You came home and were hanging all over some guy." He said not letting her know that he knew it was Mike.

"It was Mike, Rod." Mac said her anger dissipating just a little knowing the touchiness of that subject.

"Oh that makes me feel so much better." Rod said feeling that the tides were about to turn in his favor. "You were all over him, kissing him..." Just then a shoe sailed by his head. He knew it was a warning shot, Mackenzie had dead aim. He knew he had gotten as much of a reaction from her as he was going to get. She usually struck out like that when she felt cornered and just after that, she would withdraw within herself. He backed down.

"He was there for me." Mac said and took off the other shoe preparing to throw it if need be. She was starting to feel tired from all of the emotional strain. She unbuttoned her skirt and started up the stairs. "Do what you came to do and get out."

Rod watched his wife head up the stairs, "Wait a minute Mac, Are you trying to say that I wasn't there?" Mac stopped short and turned to face him. The hurt in his eyes was hard to ignore. "I wanted to be there… You are the one who pushed me out of the door."

"I didn't push." Mac started.

"You pushed." Rod interrupted. "I couldn't let you resent me. I love you."

Mac shook her head and walked away. She didn't want to say anymore. She didn't want to hear anymore. Rod followed her up the stairs, he wanted to continue, but she looked so deflated. He had pushed as far as it could go, and unfortunately he didn't feel any better for it.

He needed to get more clothes so he followed silently, allowing her some space.

* * *

Mac was standing in front of the mirror stripped down to her underwear. She noticed how her belly bulged out just a little bit. She hadn't expected to show quite so soon. Dr. Perkins had estimated that she was very nearly eight weeks pregnant and she was poking out a bit already.

She was amazed at the way she was feeling, how she could actually feel the weight of the baby on her bladder. She spotted Rod looking at her through the mirror and she reached for her bathrobe. "I don't know how you expect us to work things out if you won't talk to me." She said covering herself up.

He wondered why she would cover herself? He had seen her in less than that before. This ignited his anger once more. "I'm hurt Mac." Rod said, "You cheated on me."

"I didn't **c**heat." Mac's anger flared up again and she felt like throwing another shoe at him.

"But I thought you did." Rod corrected, "Of all the people you could have talked to. Maybe I would have been able to accept it if it were Carl helping you into our house that night."

"I went to the bar alone. Mike just happened to walk in and spotted me. I didn't want to talk to anyone. I was drunk, and like him or not he has always been a good friend to me. He didn't leave me there alone." Mac said.

"Why didn't you just go call Carl?" Rod said still unwilling to accept it.

"Carl was in Barbados, enjoying a second or third honeymoon with Sue, Rod." Mac said a bit forcefully. "I did not CHEAT on anyone."

Mac was near tears. She not only looked as if her heart was broken but she looked physically ill. He had never been able to elicit a response like that from her. He had to believe what she was saying. Mike had been a topic of contention for them for years, but he knew Mac was incredibly principled. Too principled to lie about this. "I'm sorry."

Mac turned away and sat on their bed head in her hands. "I thought I told you to get out." She was crying, she hated to cry.

"Yeah," Rod said deciding that right now would not be the time to point out that he had apologized. This had been only the fourth time he had seen her cry. The other three were after she had lost each of their children. She hated to be seen like this. She hated even worse to be coddled. So he picked up the bag he had packed and headed towards the door. "Do you want to call Dr. Sheid? Or should I?"

They hadn't been through therapy since the first time she had miscarried. The doctor proved to be quite instrumental during the grieving process. Maybe he could help them with this. It was grief related too wasn't it? "My lunch is free on Tuesday." Mac said quietly, and with a nod Rod left his house as raw as he had just seen his wife.

He hated himself for stripping her like that, but she wanted to talk. She had called him every day for three weeks. So he talked, and she didn't. What wasn't she telling him? He hoped that maybe she would open up at therapy, but knowing Mac and what she just went through, she probably wouldn't show up.

Mac flinched when she heard the door close and the engine of his car roar. She curled up on her left side and allowed more tears to fall. She sobbed and prayed. "Lord, give me strength. I'm supposed to be happy about this. This beautiful thing you've given us is being tainted because of my doing. Give me the strength to undo it." Her body was ravaged with sobs. She was shaking and crying. "It's all my fault. All my fault. I'm sorry… I'm so sorry."


	5. What The

**Sorry guys... this has to happen before we can heal.**

**

* * *

What the…?**

"There they are!" Dr. Perkins said with a smile on her face.

"They?" Mac asked suspiciously. This was her first ultrasound. She was eight and a half weeks pregnant and she couldn't wait to hear her baby's heartbeat. But Dr. Perkins couldn't really be saying what she thought she heard.

The doctor smiled. "Yeah... they," she said as she turned the monitor towards Mac and pointed at two pulsing blips on the screen.

Mac squinted at the monitor but couldn't really make anything out. "Okay shine a light on this for me wouldyou. I didn't go to medical school."

"That's your uterus, " She said as she outlined a fuzzy gray shape with her finger. "And there are your babies. One here... and one there."

Mac stared, her mouth agape. She was in total shock. What the hell was she gonna do with two babies by herself? "I'm having twins?"

"Let me make sure there aren't more…" The doctor said jokingly and Mac nearly jumped out of her skin.

"WHAT?" she shouted.

"Relax Ms Allen, it's just a joke."

Mac didn't respond. How was she going to tell Rod that she was pregnant? Not once, but twice. A million thoughts flooded her mind at once. Twins were so delicate… **"**Are they okay? Are they identical?"

"Your twins are fraternal. They seem to be fine. It's still early though. But if we need to, we can do more tests in a few more weeks." Dr. Perkins saw the uncertainty in Mac's eyes and continued. "I know your history. You've been with me for a long time. But I need you to relax. There has never been a better time than the present to give birth to multiples. The three of you are in good hands."

"Well, what kind of problems might I run into," Mac asked still trying to come to grips with the news.

"Well you do have an incompetent cervix, which is why you miscarried in the past. I'll schedule you for a cerclage some time this month."

"A what?" Mac asked.

"A ceclage is a stitch in your cervix that will keep it closed. This way you wont miscarry. Before your eggs implanted themselves so close to the opening so their weight just opened your cervix up. These two were smart, however and attached themselves far away from your opening so the risk of miscarriage in the next couple of weeks is reduced. But you still have to be careful."

"Okay," Mac said her mind still distracted by the two little dots on the monitor.

"Because I'm so fond of you, I want you to call me day and night if you feel anything out of the ordinary." Dr. Perkins Asserted. "I just got back from Vacation, so I'm ready for you."

Mac smiled a little, "Thank you."

"Now you may think you are throwing up a whole lot more than your pregnant friends had before… It's true."

"Really? I thought I was imagining things."

"Pregnancy with multiples is more miserable for the mother. Not only is there more baby to carry around, but your body does double the work to sustain them. Not to mention an over active bladder and the possibility of diabetes"

"Okay… okay," Mac said getting more worried by the second. "How about I take it as it comes."

"That's the spirit... but you have to promise to do everything I tell you," Dr. Perkins said as she turned off the ultrasound machine.

"I promise." Mac said pulling her blouse together.

"Leave all the chores to Rod, you get a reprieve for the next twenty to thirty weeks or so."

"Twenty to thirty weeks?" Mac asked doing the math.

"You're going to go early… I want to at least get you to twenty eight weeks. But lets shoot for thirty eight, it would make my life much easier that way."

Mac nodded the doctor's attempt at levity completely missing it's mark. She stepped off of the examination table. Her mind was reeling. Twins…wow.

"Bring Rod next time… I need to sit you both down and make sure that both of you understand what you have gotten yourselves into." The doctor said seriously.

"Right." Mac said annoyed that Rod had been brought back to the forefront of her mind. "I'll see if he's free." Mac left the doctor's office in a daze. She got behind the wheel and barely heard the sound of her new cell phone ringing.

"Hello?" Mac barked into the phone.

"Where are you?" It was Rod. She looked at the clock, it was two thirty.

"It's Tuesday isn't it?" Mac said with a frown.

"I thought you wanted this." Rod said angrily into the phone.

"I'm sorry. I got a last minute appointment that I had to take care of." Mac said, "I'll be there in ten minutes."

"For ten minutes of a session... Mac, I have to get back to New York in an hour." Rod knew that she wasn't going to show. He knew that he had pushed her really far the last time they'd talked.

"Fine Rod, forget it," Mac stated angrily. "I've gotta get back to work anyway."

"What is going on with you? I mean, you're calling out of work, missing appointments. Hell… I'm surprised the firm hasn't cut you loose."

"Are you done with the lecture?" Mac turned into the parking garage and shut off her engine. "My job is the last thing you should be concerned about." Mac said heading towards her office.

Rod couldn't believe what he was hearing from his wife. How could any work appointment be more important than their marriage. He'd made sacrifices at work to make this appointment, but if she really didn't want to try... then what was the point. "You know what Mac... you're right. Let's just forget it. I'll have the legal separation papers drawn up immediately.**"**

Mac felt as if she had been punched in the stomach and nearly fell as she stepped into the elevator. She was devastated, but her pride would not allow her to let Rod know that. "Do what you want. Come get your things out of my house before you leave."


	6. Healing

**This was a terribly difficult chapter to write, and I am glad that I at least get to send it out to you today. It is 10 times better than it was a couple of days ago, thanks to My very own word master. I keep her in my basement Chained to the computer. I got to give her all of the credit for my last paragraph.--S.K.**

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* * *

Healing**

Mac stood at the window of her office. It was a small office and her window had a nice view of the office building next door, but it was hers. She often looked out when she needed to think. She'd just gotten in from court and found an envelope on her desk from Rod.

She knew it was the separation papers. She rested one hand over her abdomen. She knew that she had to talk to him about the twins before she signed them. She just didn't know how to broach the subject.

Her cell rang. It was still on vibrate. She had it lying on the window sill, and watched it dance across it. It was Rod. He'd called five times already. This time, however, she took a deep breath and reached out for it. "Yeah?"

"Did you get the papers?" Rod asked.

"Yeah, um... I need to talk to you." Mac said sitting at her desk.

"Okay," he paused, "I'm listening."

"Not over the phone." Mac toyed with the envelope on her desk. "Can you get back here tonight?"

"Um... Yeah. Yeah, I can get there." He was surprised that she'd actually asked him to their house. "I got some things to pick up anyway."

Mac's heart sank when she heard that. She needed him to be there for her. She wanted not to argue for once and he seemed determined to not let her forget it. "Yeah, Just... eight o'clock okay?"

"Fine, see you then." He hung up. Mac stared at the envelope on her desk. She didn't want them to be there. She didn't want this whole thing to be happening.

"All right kids, let's go get dinner for daddy." Mac said picking up the envelope and heading out of the office. "Emma, I'm going home. Have a good night."

"Good night." Emma said as she gathered her things to do the same.

* * *

"Mac?" Rod said as he entered the house.

"In here,"she shouted from the kitchen. "I had some food delivered, want some?"

Rod walked in and was slightly amused at the amount of food on Mac's plate. She never ate so voraciously. In fact he had to fight with her to eat anything other than junk "Hungry?"

"Starved," she said between forkfuls of Singapore noodles. "I was going to wait for you, but..."

He smiled. "It's okay… I'm here now. What did you want to talk to me about?" Relieved that she seemed to be in a good mood, Rod sat on the bar stool across from her.

Mac put her fork down and watched him serve himself a bit of noodles. She knew what she wanted to say. She missed him, and she wanted him back, but she had asked him to leave. "I don't want to sign those papers," she said signaling towards the other end of the counter.

Rod looked at them then anxiouslyback at her. It had killed him to draw up the papers. He just hadn't known what else to do. Almost holding his breath, he asked quietly, "So what do you want to do?"

Mac looked at her husband then walked over to the papers and handed them back to him. "Therapy… whatever it takes," she whispered. She tilted her head and ran a hand up his arm. She had forgotten how toned he was. "I'm sorry I missed the one appointment last Tuesday."

"We can reschedule," he told her. "I guess I was just so bent out of shape… and you hurt me."

"I'm sorry Rod." Mac moved closer to him. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I love you and I don't want to lose you."

He searched her eyes. She had never apologized first. He placed his hands on her hips and pulled her close. "Mac I'm sorrytoo. I should have … I don't know. I know you better, I should have known not to leave…"

Mac stopped his tirade with a kiss. She'd wantedto do just that since he walked in the room. Her body had been aching for him for weeks. She had asked the doctor about it and she told her it was normal. _"Just make sure you're on your back."_ Dr. Perkins had said and Mac was ready to try.

Rod responded to the kiss, and pulled her even closer to him. When the kiss broke he whispered, "I don't think I'll make it back to the city tonight."

Mac shook her head, "No." She lowered her leaned and kissed him again. "Not gonna happen."

She took his hands and led him up to their room, to their bed. They came together, hungrily making up for the time they'd lost.

Rod undressed his wife for the first time in weeks and immediately noticed the change in her breasts. They were swollen at least a cup size and when he touched them she reacted as if it hurt. This often happened when she was ovulating. _Maybe this time it will work_, he thought as he lay her down on the bed.

Mac watched him, wondering if he'd notice the change in her. She had to admit that she really didn't look like she was pregnant, just bloated. She felt huge however, having gone up at least a dress size. He suckled at her breast and she groaned in pain and pleasure. "Rod," she said as he moved to pull off the sweats that she had on. "I…"

"Shhh…" He said kissing her abdomen. She was bloated. Rod couldn't believe his timing. _Maybe this time it will work,_ he thought to himself again. His energy renewed, he entered her.

Mac moaned because it felt so good. But after a minute, her pleasure turned to pain as her abdomen cramped. "OH…Ow Ow Ow.. Rod stop." Rod He stopped and looked at her closely. "My babies..."

"What's wrong?" He was shocked by the pallor of her skin to the point that his mind failed to register the significance of her words.

"Not again." Mac panicked as she pushed her husband away.

"What?" Rod asked taking her hand and running his hand through her hair.

"Our babies, Rod… our twins are in trouble." Mac was in such distress that she really didn't think about what a shock this had to be for him.

Rod felt like he'd been sucker punched. But he immediately recognized just what was at stake. He reached for the phone and called her doctor. "Dr. Perkins, Rod Calloway here."

"Oh, hi." She sounded out of breath. Rod could hear the sound of dance music in the background and the distinctive sounds of a Gym.

"Sorry to disrupt your work out, but it's Mac."

"What is she feeling?" The doctor said. Rod heard the distinct sound of a machine stop. "Can she talk to me?"

"Sure," Rod said then headed back to the bed. "Here honey." He handed her the phone then took a deep breath, a world of emotions running through his head.

"I'm gonna lose them I know it." Mac said into the phone.

"Listen to me… are you laying down?" The doctor said.

"Yes, I was... Yes, I am." Mac said.

"Good, now what are you feeling?"

"I'm cramping," Mac said taking a deep breath. "I don't want to lose my babies."

"Okay, just lay on your left side for a few minutes, then call me back." Dr. Perkins said. Mac could hear the distinctive sound of a locker room in the background.

"Okay." Mac said doing as instructed.

"Let me know if you start to feel anything else or if you start to bleed."

Mac looked down at herself and the sheets behind her. "I'll meet you at the hospital."

"I'll be there in ten minutes."

* * *

Once Mac was dressed Rod lifted her and carried her to the car. He was hurt, but his worry surpassed any pain.

"Rod, I think I can walk to the car."

"Oh no... No way" Rod said heading for the car. Mac grabbed the handle of the door, helping him to open it then he helped her lay in the back seat. "Listen to me… we are not losing the twins."

Mac propped her feet up against the door and waited for him to lock the house doors. Rod started the car and began to drive. Mac hissed, as the cramping seemed to intensify just slightly.

"You doing, okay?" Rod asked.

"I'm scared, baby, I don't want to lose them." She added more softly, "we've worked so hard."

"I know kiddo," Rod said tenderly. "Everything will be fine you'll see." He was scared himself--afraid for her, for their children… and for their marriage. If she miscarried again, he feared their marriage would not survive it.

"Rod, I'm sorry I…"

"Mac, don't," he said interrupting her. Looking at her through the rearview mirror, he added with reassurance, "That doesn't matter right now. All I care about is you and our babies. Let's just concentrate on getting you to the hospital. Everything else can wait."

Mac fell silent and just watched the back of Rod's head. She was overwhelmed by his ability to put this aside, at least for now. He loved her, sometimes she needed convincing but deep down she knew that he always had her back.

Rod pulled up to the ER. "I'm going to get someone, I'll be right back." He said and ran inside. He headed straight for the triage desk. "Excuse me miss," Rod said trying to get the attention of the woman behind the counter. She ignored him and continued doing what she was doing. "Hello!" Rod said angrily.

"I heard you the first time sir, what seems to be the problem?"

"My wife is in the car, she's bleeding, and she's pregnant."

"Okay, sir, let me call L&D for you." She turned to make the call.

Outside in the car Mac lay patiently waiting for Rod's return. Dr. Perkins walked by and peeked inside. Mac waved at her andDr, Perkins did a double take. "What are you doing out here?"

"Rod went inside to get help." Mac attempted to sit up.

"NO…no. Rod is right, just relax." The doctor looked her patient over, "What were you doing when this happened?"

"I…. ah…" Mac started, embarrassed to say. "We were in the middle of making up."

The doctor smiled and blushed; "Ah, well you won't bedoing that again for a while."

Rod ran outside a couple of nurses were behind him with a stretcher. "Here's our hero now."

"Doctor, is she okay?" He was glad to see the doctor was already here.

"Relax Mr. Calloway, panicking now won't help any." She looked over at Mac, who was being helped on to the stretcher, and then told the nurses, "Draw her levels: CBC, BMP, Mag and Phos. And get me her HCG levels."

"You're taking more blood from her?" Rod said incredulously as they all began to move into the hospital.

"Yes, we're short in the blood bank." Dr. Perkins said to lighten the mood. Seeing that it didn't work, she stopped and looked at him seriously. "I have to figure out if she's miscarrying. She will be fine and I will do my best to save the babies. Go park the car while I get her settled."

"All right," Rod said uneasily. "I won't be but five minutes."

The doctor smiled then turned to follow her patient into the E.R.

Rod leaned against the wall. He needed a minute to catch his breath and to process everything that had happened the past hour. What was he feeling? Joy, fear, anger, hurt, confusion, determination. But mostly love: for his wife and for their unborn children. He couldn't believe it, they were expecting twins. This time, he thought, everything had to be okay. Shaking his head to clear his mind, he quickly made a decision. No matter what happened, he would never allow anyone—especially his wife, to ever again talk him into leaving what was most important to him: his family.

* * *

**Now aren't you glad she wrote this? I was going to leave you at the ER as worried and desolate as Rod felt. I think I'll feed WordMaster a stake tonight for doing such a good job.**


	7. Doctor's Orders

**Once again I must thank my wordmaster for her help... she helped me end the last chapter and begin this one. so here you have another instalment of Mamma's boy... which may probably be a bad name for this story... anyway I'm going to try and get it back on track.**

**

* * *

**

**Doctor's Orders**

Mac awakened in almost a panic and immediately felt her abdomen. It was still swollen. She relaxed. The twins were still safe. The last thing she remembered before falling asleep was that the bleeding had tapered off; and that Rod was holding her hand and stroking her face, telling her to rest and that everything would be okay.

Comforted that everything was still okay, Mac took in her surroundings. She saw through the window to her left that it was now daylight. She wondered if she hadn't been given something to help her sleep because she hadn't slept that well in months.

Mac then noticed a pair of familiar legs draped over the edge of the bed on her right side. Rod was asleep in a chair next to her bed. But his big frame looked totally ill at ease and uncomfortable. She smiled with envy. He always could fall asleep just about anywhere. He said it was because of his days in the Army. Maybe, she thought wryly, a stint in the military would do her some good.

She was touched that he had stayed with her last night. He'd been really great yesterday–so solid, so caring. But they'd had no opportunity to really talk about the pregnancy... or about all of the misunderstandings of the past couple of months. She needed to explain to him why she hadn't told him. She just didn't know how to bring it up.

She reached out and touched his arm, lightly caressing it. "Rod?"

Feeling her touch and hearing her voice, he awakened instantly. He hadn't been truly asleep, just dozing. "Hey kiddo... you're awake. Are you okay?"

"Fine... You stayed with me."

Rod noticed a hint of surprise in her voice. "Yeah. Where else would I be? I love you, Mac."

"Even when I'm pigheaded and stubborn and try and push you away?"

"Yeah... even then," he told her with a grin. "I'm afraid you're stuck with me."

She smiled. "There's no one I'd rather be stuck with. But that chair can't have been comfortable. I bet you're stiff." Then remembering that he really hadn't eaten since sometime yesterday afternoon, she told him, "And I bet you're starved. Why don't you go stretch your legs and get something to eat. I'll be okay."

Removing his legs from her bed, Rod realized he was stiff... and he was most definitely hungry. He'd been so worried about her and their babies, that he'd been unable to eat anything. And he still didn't understand why she hadn't told him about them. But now was not the time to discuss it. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah." She gave him a teasing look, and gesturing to the machines she was still hooked up to, she told him, "I mean... it's not like I can actually go anywhere."

Rod chuckled as he stood up. "Okay. You're the boss." He lovingly placed a hand on her stomach in silent acknowledgment of the children they'd created together. Then he leaned down and kissed her softly before leaving the room.

A short time later, Mac was greeted by an enthusiastic "Helloo!" as Dr. Perky came into the room. Mac had nicknamed the young doctor that after their second miscarriage. She was so hopeful, she made them both hopeful of their prospects in spite of their past disappointments.

Mac smiled and adjusted the bed to a thirty-five degree angle. "Morning."

"I'm sending you home today." Dr. Perkins said.

"Are you sure? I'm still bleeding, I don't have a monitor at home…" Mac began to panic.

"Don't worry. You know I wouldn't release you if I had any concerns," she said just as Rod came back into the room.

"HelloDoc." Rod said movingnext to his wife.

"She's letting me go home." Mac gave him a soft worried smile.

"She will do just fine, just as long as she goes straight to bed and is as quiet as she can." The doctor directed towards Rod, then turning to Mac so that she understand what she was saying said, "That means that for at least 48 hours until you stop bleeding don't get out of bed except to go to the bathroom. Don't even stand up long enough to make a cup of tea. Don't lift anything heavier than a paper plate with food on it that _someone else _has prepared for you." The doctor emphasized the someone else looking at Rod. Dr. Perkins again directed this last comment towards Rod.

"What?" Mac said incredulously.

"Don't sit up straight, not even to eat, and call your firm and tell them you won't be coming to work for the foreseeable future." The doctor effectively stopped Mac's tirade. "Oh, and no sex."

Mac was horrified. She never expected for bed rest to be just that… bed rest. Nothing more, nothing less. "What am I supposed to do all day?"

"There is plenty to do... You can read," Rod said positively. "You know you've been wanting to catch up on some reading."

"Great," Mac said with a slight pout. "That will keep me busy for two days. How long do I have to stay in bed?"

"Come and see me once a week and I will tell you. You've got 18 weeks at the very least to get through… Thirty if we're lucky."

Mac's mind reeled at the thought of being in bed for thirty weeks. That is more than half the year. "Please remind me that I wanted this."

"We inserted that circlage, so after the first two days you may do a little bit of walking, but if you start spotting at all you CALL me, but for the most part stay horizontal. You had a threatened miscarriage and we want to give things a chance to settle down."

"I guess I could work for a little while in bed," Mac mumbled.

Rod reached down and held one of Mac's hands. With an expression that radiated both understanding and tenderness, he said softly, "You can do this... we can do it. I'll be right there with you. Think of it this way, honey, You are saving two people's lives for it. Their lives depend on you staying in bed."

Mac sighed heavily. "You're right. I know, you're right. I guess if something happens then … Then I at leastknow that I did my best." She conceded.

Both Rod and the doctor smiled in sympathy as they readied her to leave. However, Rod was determined to do everything in his power to ensure that nothing bad happened.

* * *

On the first day of bedrest, Mac had been was watching one of her favorite movies as she lay back on her plush pillows. So far everything was bearable, though she knew it wouldn't last. This was the second time she had been playing the movie since she had fallen asleep on her first viewing.

As she sat watching she had a crossword puzzle book on her lap. Rod walked past her and kissed her head. "I'm going to the grocery store kiddo, want anything else?"

"I need a pint of rocky road." Mac said

"We have a pint."

"Yeah… but It's old… I bought that last week."

"Mac, be serious…"

"Rod, I'm very serious. Do you know how hard I would have to strain to dig my spoon into that now?" Mac turned her attention back to the screen. "Besides I dumped an entire jar of olives in it."

Rod couldn't help but laugh. That was rather cute. "Okay… anything else?"

"Marshmallows. Not the regular white ones, I want purple Peeps®. I want to dip them in the chocolate."

"Is that it?"

"A kiss?" Mac said, a look of subtle seduction coming over her features. His nurturing made him sexy to her. Rod complied with her request. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer deepening the kiss. They both moaned then quickly separated from each other.

"Maybe I'd better sleep in the other room tonight," Rod said. Mac nodded and sighed surprised by his suggestion.She lay back down and looked at the television.

Ten minutes after Rod left, the doorbell rang. She didn't think much of it. Her mind was still trying to wrap itself around the fact that her husband was going to leave her in their bed alone. Then it rang again. "Rod, are you still here?" Mac asked

Nothing.

The doorbell rang one more time, followed by persistent knocking. The floodgates were open. Mac began to cry. She was alone in the house, her husband preferred to sleep in the guest room, and she couldn't even get out of bed to answer the door. Not to mention that she was afraid to go to the bathroom because she might just push them right out.

She cried out her fears, and frustrations. When Rod returned, she was a heaping mess on the bed. "Honey... what's wrong?"

"I have to go to the bathroom." She said in a sob, getting angrier by the second because she was crying over something so trivial. She knew it was the hormones, but she thought that she could control anything her hormones would throw at her. She hated that they had won this battle.

"It's okay, Mac. I'll help you," Rod said with a voice that was full of understanding as he helped his wife into their bathroom. In truth, he had many of the same fears as his wife had; though he freely admitted that the intensity was not quite the same.

"Someone was knocking on the door, and you weren't here," Mac said and Rod understood now what had set her off.

"I know baby, I'm sorry… It was Carl. He was about to leave when I got back." Rod said standing just outside the door. "He is waiting for you downstairs. I can tell him to come back some other day."

"No, It's okay. We were supposed to do our TV night with them tonight, weren't we?" Mac said walking back out of the bathroom.

"You mean they don't know?" Rod asked.

"I couldn't' tell anyone Rod… you didn't even know." Mac stood in front of him her gaze connected to his "We'll tell them tonight."

"Well let me help you get dressed for company, then I'll take you to the couch." Rod said with a nod.

Mac smiled, "What? Don't you think I look hot?"

He helped her to the bed. "Hot? No… but you certainly are beautiful, no matter what you wear."

"Here I thought my old sweats turned you on." They both laughed as Rod tugged on her sweats to help her remove them.

* * *

"Oh my god that's great!" Sue Brantley said hugging Mac after Rod set her down on the couch. "And here we thought we were bringing good news."

"It… Yeah?" Mac said looking over at Carl and catching the twinkle in his eyes. She guessed that the stork had visited her friends, too.

"Do you remember that trip to Barbados?" Carl started.

Unfortunately, Mac remembered it all too well.

"Let me tell it!" Sue said and smiled back at Mac. "I'm pregnant."

Mac smiled, secretly wishing that Sue weren't there. She was so healthy. This was their second child. "Congratulations."

"Sue, we've done this before." Carl said noticing Mac's change of mood. This was something that Sue still couldn't recognize in the taller woman. "Mac, this is fantastic, I can't believe you didn't tell us before."

"You were a little busy making baby number two." She said tersely.

Sue laughed. Rod cleared his throat, trying to change the subject. "Hey Carl... did you see the dent Mac's shoe made when she threw her shoe itat my head the other day?"

Carl laughed and followed Rod out of the room leaving Mac and Sue in the living room by themselves.

Mac reached for the remote and changed the channel on the tube. She lay back in the couch and turned her attention to the television. Sue watched her for a little while and realized the change in the taller woman's mood. She suddenly felt uncomfortable with Mac. She cleared her throat. "So you threw a shoe at his head, huh?"

Mac smirked, "Yeah... Hormones."

"Do you want anything to drink?" Sue said looking for an out.

"No, but there's beer… oh… um sorry I forgot."

Sue smiled again. "I'll go see what the boys are up to."

"You do that." Mac hated that she couldn't be as free as Sueable to get her own drinks and go to friends houses if she felt like it. Who did she think she was rubbing her healthy pregnancy in her face like that? She frowned and stared at the ceiling.

"You know, a little warning would have been nice." Carl said handing Mac a bottle of water and sitting on the floor next to her head.

"I couldn't tell you." Mac said tracing the name on the water bottle. "I hadn't told Rod. He found out last night when I nearly miscarried."

"Mac… I am sorry." Carl said, "Sue is so excited over the baby… she figured you would be happy too since you were excited when Emma was born. She doesn't know what I know."

"I know Carl… And thank you for keeping it to yourself."

"She's going to ask me about it now though… and I'm going to tell her." Mac shot daggers at him. "She's my wife."

"Keep it to a minimum Carl… I don't want her pity."

"Nobody pities you, Mac. But I won't tell her everything," Carl told her just as Rod and Sue came back into the room.

"This should be a great episode." Rod s handed Carl a bowl of popcorn then lifted Mac's legs so that he cold sit under them. The four of them settled in and began to watch their show, but this time in an unusual silence.


	8. The Talk

**This story is super hard to write... I have the mind of a cinematographer when I write these things... but can't seem to articulate the details... Thank you Word Master for your help on this chapter You get a five course meal! I have been so tired lately from work that this story suffers a lot compared to the other two.--S.K. Allen**

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* * *

The Talk**

Fortunately Carl and Sue did not stay too long. After they left, Rod carried Mac upstairs, helped her get ready for bed, and then carried her back to bed. He knew she was both physically and emotionally exhausted.

"There you go, kiddo." He bent down and kissed her, allowing himself to linger a bit.

"You're not really going to sleep in the guest room, are you?"

"I thought you might sleep better... I don't want to disturb you." But then seeing something in her expression, he asked, "Are you scared? Do you me to stay?"

Mac was scared but that, of course, wasn't the reason she wanted him to stay. She wanted her husband back. She needed him... needed his touch. But if admitting to being scared was what it took to get him to stay, she'd do it. "Yeah... It helps just knowing you're here with me."

In truth Rod was relieved that she wanted him to stay. He'd only been kidding when he made the suggestion, but then he'd begun to worry that maybe she would like it better that way. It had been weeks since they shared the same bed, and he hadn't wanted to put any additional stress on her. "Okay, let me shower and stuff. I won't be long."

But by the time he returned from his very cold shower, Mac was fast asleep. He slid into bed and wrapped his arm around her, placing the palm of his hand on her abdomen. Unconsciously Mac molded herself against him. He was home.

* * *

The next day was Sunday. While Rod made breakfast, Mac took the opportunity to call her mom and to ask her to come and stay for awhile until she could again be self-sufficient. She knew Rod needed to get back to work... and she wanted the guest room occupied so that he wouldn't again be tempted to suggest that he sleep in the other room.

Kate readily agreed. She really wanted to be there for her daughter and had just been waiting for the invitation. When her daughter had told her that she was expecting twins she knew the day would come that she would be confined to a bed, and she was ready for it. When she and Michael arrived that afternoon, Rod greeted them at the door.

"Hello, sir. It's good to have you back." Rod extended a hand towards his father-in-law.

Michael accepted his hand shake. "Thank you, son. It's good to be home."

Rod then hugged his mother-in-law. "Kate, thanks for staying with us."

She kissed him on the cheek and whispered in his ear. "My pleasure. It's good to have you back where you belong."

Rod smiled, but then noticed that Mac's dad had begun to carry her luggage upstairs. "Just leave those bags, Michael. I'll take them up to the guest room when I bring Mackenzie down."

Michael continued walking upstairs with the bags. "Nonsense... I'll take them up. Besides I want to see my little girl..."

"Michael," Kate interjected, "you can't just barge into their house."

"No, it's okay," Rod told her, before turning his attention back to Michael. "She's in our room, of course. She's anxious for your company."

While Michael was upstairs, Rod and Kate went into the kitchen. "How's she doing?" Kate asked him.

"She's scared, exhausted and overwhelmed." Rod sighed. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Just some water." Kate sat down on a barstool. She studied her son-in-law while he got her drink. He, too, looked scared, exhausted and overwhelmed. "And how are you feeling?"

Rod looked closely at his mother-in-law for a few unguarded seconds. "Thrilled about the babies, terrified of losing them... and my wife. I'm still really hurt and confused about why she hadn't told me she was pregnant."

"Have you asked her that why?" Kate asked, taking the offered glass of water and gesturing for him to take a seat.

* * *

Mac smiled when her father walked into the room. "Hey Daddy." She put down the deposition she'd been reading. A courier had brought her some work from the office. She'd been glad to have something substantive to occupy her time.

"Hey there, baby girl." Michael kissed the top of her head and then looked down at his daughter. She was definitely rounder than he was used to; but though he was no expert on the subject, he thought she was still rather tiny for twins. However, what really concerned him was the fear and confusion he saw in her eyes. He pushed a stray hair back from her face and asked, "How are you?"

"All right, I guess... better physically than emotionally."

"Want to talk about it?" His tone was gentle. He sat down besides her on the bed and put his arm around her.

"I messed up, Daddy... I mean, this time I really messed up." Mac put her head on his shoulder. "I'm ten weeks pregnant with twins and I didn't tell my husband until I was on the verge of a miscarriage. He must hate me."

"Why didn't you tell him?"

* * *

"Kate, I can't ask her that now," Rod said joining her at the counter. "She's fragile... both physically and emotionally."

"Her mouth is functioning just fine." Kate took a sip of her water. "You two need to talk about what happened the past couple of months... and particularly about why she didn't tell you about the twins."

"I know you're right. I'm scared... scared that I might upset her, you know. And if she gets too upset, well..."

"Rod, what about your feelings?" She knew he was suffering.

"They don't really matter right now." He shook his head. "I just want her to be well."

Kate placed a hand gently on his arm. "She will be. But she needs you now more than ever. All of you... and you can't be there for her completely if you're burying hurt feelings and resentment. Talk to her, Rod. Tell her just how much you love her, and then talk to her."

* * *

Mac changed positions so she could look at her father. With a sigh, she said, "I tried to tell him several times... but he made me so angry."

"So knowledge is power and you had the knowledge?"

"Yeah... something like that. But then he decided to send me separation papers?"

"You were getting legally separated?"

"Well, I basically had kicked him out of the house, told him we needed a break, and I missed a counseling session because of a doctor's appointment. He'd had it and told me he'd have separation papers drawn up. Of course, this made me even angrier so I didn't try to stop him." Mac ran her hands through her shoulder length auburn hair. "Now I'm just afraid that he's really only here out of a sense of duty."

"Baby, he was here with you when you started to bleed. Were you arguing?"

"No, we were... Dad I don't want to talk about that." Mac felt her cheeks become red.

Michael laughed. "Okay... I understand. But I think there's your answer right there. He loves you. He always has. You need to talk to him... and apologize. You're the one who has to bring it up because he won't... not with you in your condition."

"I know, Dad. But somehow we keep talking around the subject."

"Then you get to the point." Michael knew how stubborn his daughter could be. He pointed at her stomach and quipped, "And do it before my grandchildren arrive."

"Thanks, Dad."

* * *

Later that night, both Rod and Mac sat in bed reading. However, neither of them could concentrate on the written words in front of them. Both were preoccupied by their respective conversations with her parents.

At the same time, they put down their books, turned to each other, and said:

"Rod..."

"Mac..."

They laughed, but then said simultaneously, "You go first." This, of course, was followed by a brief period of silence as neither wanted to interrupt the other any further.

Finally Rod said, "Talk to me."

She nodded. She really should go first. Meekly she told him, "I tried to tell you about the twins."

"When, Mac?" His tone was not so meek.

With open defiance, she told him, "The three weeks after you left... I found out that Tuesday. I kept calling and calling."

"This was important... you could have told me that. And it wasn't like you didn't know where I was. You could have come to me." In spite of himself, Rod felt his anger finally rise to the surface. "What about when I did come home? What about that day? You could have told me then... You should have at least told me then."

Mac glared at him. "As I recall, I was being accused of cheating on you. So excuse me, for not telling you then."

"Yeah... and before that you were throwing cell phones and shoes..." Rod stopped. He ran his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath. This was getting them nowhere. "I'm sorry. I don't want to fight."

He took one of her hands and lightly caressed it. "Mac, the way I see it, we have two choices: One, we can continue to have this argument time and again about who was more responsible for what went wrong between us the past couple of months. Or two, we can both admit we were wrong, apologize, and put it behind us. Personally, I prefer the second choice..."

"Me, too... but can I blame my actions on hormones?"

Rod laughed, but with a sense of wonderment in his voice replied, "Yeah... I guess you can."

"I am sorry, you know."

"Me, too. I never should have let my anger get the better of me. And I never should have left this house... left you."

Mac smiled and then lay down. With a hint of mischief, she told her husband, "You know what we would usually do after we talked like this..."

"Yeah..."

"I could use some of that right now... this bed rest thing is killing me."

Rod laughed and then joined her in a horizontal position. He wrapped his arms around her and began to nibble on her neck.

Mac began to giggle loudly at his playful nips. Suddenly their bedroom door opened and their recreational activity immediately stopped. "I hate to interrupt," Kate said in a no-nonsense tone. "But I'm pretty sure monkey business is not allowed."

"Mom!" Mac buried her face in her pillow.

"I'm just saying... you brought me here to help. I'm just making sure my grandchildren get here safely." Kate turned around, but before she closed the door behind her, she told them, "It's about time the two of you came to your senses."

After she left, they both rolled over and stared at the ceiling. "Thank God, it's temporary," Mac told him softly. "Because I think this no sex thing is going to kill me."

Rod laughed sardonically, thinking about all the cold showers he would be taking. But then he leaned over and kissed his wife. "It will be worth it, honey... when we see those two perfect little people"

"What if they're not perfect?" Mac asked worry evident in her tone.

"God will not give you anything you can't handle."Rod whispered. He kissed the top of her head and athey both settled for the night.


	9. MonsterinLaw

**Thanks for the reviews everyone... I love them. This chapter is a little fun, but... well you'll see. This entire story is based on the stories of three women (That I don't know) this could happen to anyone so I hope I am teaching as well as entertaining.-- S.K.

* * *

Monster-in-Law**

Kate stayed with them for four weeks. Four weeks of bedrest until she needed to go home and tend to her husband. Rod's mother, Carol, came the fifth week. However, by week two, Mac was ready to hang herself... and it just kept getting worse.

On the last morning of her second week, Mac awakened to a shrill, "Rise and Shine Sweet heart!" as Carol walked into their bedroom and opened the curtains wide.

Mac groaned and covered herself with her pillow. "I'll rise, but I refuse to shine." Mac reached out to Rod, but found that he was already out of bed.

"Oh honey, it's appointment day. I think he's more excited to see the babies than you." Carol wasnow straightening out Mac's dresserdrawers. "He's down stairs getting breakfast for you."

"Five more minutes Mom," Mac mumbled, snuggling back down in the bed.

"Sure, honey. But what are you wearing today so that I can iron it?"

"I'm wearing Rod's sweats, they don't need ironing... besides they are the only things that fit." Mac, frustration rising, watched her mother-in-law inspect her bedroom as if it were unlivable. "You know Carol, don't worry about those... Mom's already taken care of it."

"Of course dear, but you need something else to wear, she should have gone shopping for you."

"She preferred to stay here with me Carol." Mac gritted her teeth.

"It's okay, I brought something for you to wear. I'll be back." Carol walked out of the room, passing her son on the way in. "She's ready for you Rod, she was not happy to be awakened.

"Thanks, Mom." Rod stepped into the room with a tray of breakfast. "Morning honey."

"Mmm, Morning... this looks great," Mac said bowing her head to grace.

"The firm messengered this over this morning." Rod handed her the big manila envelope and joined her on the bed.

"You aren't seriously considering going back to work when the twins are born," Carol stated coming into the room with some clothing.

"Uh oh," thought Rod as he hurried to at least temporarily remove himself from Mac's reach.

"Yes I am," Mac stated before taking a fork full of eggs.

"Mackenzie, you're really going to allow a stranger to raise your children?"

Rod noticed Mac's hand tighten around her fork as his mother continued to speak on the virtues of stay at home moms and he moved to the aid of his wife.

"I mean I did it, doesn't make me any less of a woman for having stayed home with my boys."

"Mom, why don't you wait for us down stairs," Rod said, intervening on his wife's behalf and rushing Carol out of the room. He wasn't entirely successful, however.

"Oh I almost forgot... I've got this cute top for you to wear, and a pair of stretchy pants." Carol showed Mac one of the pieces of clothes she had brought in. "They are jeans, I didn't know they made these in jeans."

Mac looked at it, it was kind of cute, and it would be nice to look like a pregnant woman, and not a fat one. "Thank you Carol." Mac smiledslightly.

" You're welcome, now Ill go clean up the family room."

Mac remembered she had been there every morning, and knew the place was immaculate. She turned to Rod. He only smiled and kissed her cheek.

XXXXXX

Rod and Mac rode in their car in silence. They'd had a slight argument just before they left the house. Mac was grateful that Carol, his mother, had decided to stay home. Carol made her so crazy because she was cleaning her home as if her mother had done absolutely nothing the three weeks she was there. Mac had told Rod that she didn't appreciate his mother belittling hers like that. Kate had done a fine job at caring for her while she was there.

"I'm sorry, she's just over protective," Rod said softly as he parked the car at the doctor's building.

"So is my Mom," Mac said loosening her seatbelt. She loved it that she reallylooked pregnant now. It was as if bedrest had kicked the twins' growth into high gear.

Rod got out of the car, opened the door for her, and helped her out.

"I guess I'm just extra sensitive to criticism."

"She's not criticizing."

"She was..." Mac stopped and sighed. She was getting a headache. "Look let's not get back into that. Let's go see our babies."

Rod wrapped an arm around his wife and kissed her forehead as they walked inside.

XXXXXXX

"There they are!" Dr. Perkins said as she moved the sonogram sensor along Mac's lower abdomen. "Baby number one is still lower than baby number two." She pointed at the one baby that lay underneath. "Do you want to know the sex?"

"Yes,"

"No..."

They both had spoken at the same time. They looked at each other "I really need to know." Mac said. "I feel so out of control I need something to hold on to." Rod nodded at her and they both turned to the monitor.

He was really trying to see a baby, at least one in there. But he couldn't make them out. "Can you point them out for me please?"

Mac chuckled silently at his confusion, remembering her own confusion during the first ultrasound. Rod really was excited about the babies. He loved kissing and caressing her tummy... even speaking and singing to it. And he couldn't wait to feel the babies kick. This sweet, almost goofy side of him was a complete turn-on, she thought, suddenly again frustrated that all recreational activity between them had been banned by the doctor with their respective mother's acting as enforcers.

Dr. Perkins smiled and pointed at the baby on top. She turned up the audio so that they could hear the two beating hearts. "This one right here... is a Girl." She said as the computer processed this and a picture of their little girl printed off. Then she pointed to the baby on the bottom. "This baby here... Do you see that?"

"See what?" Mac asked squinting slightly... her eyes blurred more and more as her pregnancy progressed.

Dr. Perkins raised a finger to point at the screen. " Do you see that apple shaped thing right there?"

"Yeah, I see that!" Rod said excitedly. "It's a boy!"

"Very good Rod." Dr. Perkins smiled at the very excited father before printing a photo of their son.

Mac was crying. She couldn't help it... She was just so grateful to see her children. "Mac baby, what's wrong?" Rod was not used to seeing her emotional side in public.

"Mac you need to calm down. In fact, we need to have a little chat," Dr. Perkins said, her smile fading just a bit. The look in her eyes turned from levity to concern.

"Why is something wrong with the kids?" Mac asked trying to calm down, but failing as a new concern flooded her mind.

"Nothing is wrong with your children." The doctor shut the sonogram machine off and helped Mac wipe the gel off of her abdomen. "It's you that I'm concerned about."

"What's wrong with her?" Rod asked helping his wife with her shirt.

"Her Blood pressure is a little high. It is not dangerously high, but it's getting there. She needs to keep herself from getting too agitated. To help you out a little... I am allowing your bedrest restrictions to be lifted. But there will be no cooking you may drive to the store and back. You will not walk more than ten feet without rest. You can sit up for twenty minutes at a time."

Mac frowned a bit. "I don't know if I can control my emotions."

"Sure you can, just stay away from anything that sets you off... even television."

"Does it matter that I was a bit upset just before I came into the office?" Mac asked.

"No it doesn't. It should have been lower by the time I took it."

Mac's features darkened. Rod stood there wondering how he was going to get his mother to leave the house without hurting her feelings when he heard Mac ask... "What about sex"

"You're kidding me right?" The doctor asked.

"It calms me down." Mac said almost seriously.

"Oh Mackenzie... you are such a joker," The doctor said. "But seriously though... not a chance."

Mac looked at Rod with a smirk. "I tried."

Rod smiled surprised, at the swings in his wife's moods. "Well twenty-six more weeks and we'll be through."

"Plus six," the doctor supplied.

"At least." Mac stated... "But I will be okay, right?"

"If you get any worse Mac, I am going to have to refer you to Dr. Rossman... he specializes in Hypertension in pregnancy. This is a very serious condition. So you still have to come and see me every week."

"Okay."

XXXXXX

"How do I tell her I need her to leave." Rod asked as they parked the car in the dirveway.

"Rod... She's helping us... I will try to keep my temper in check, I promise." Mac said reaching out to hold his hand.

"Mac... You cry at the drop of a dime... do you know how odd that is for me?" Rod caressed her cheek. "You haven't been able to let anything roll off your back since you've been pregnant."

"I'll be fine.really" Mac reassured him, giving him a soft smile. He kissed her then stepped out of the car. He helped her out and they walked together to the door. Before they could open it, the door jerked away from them and Carol stood behind it with a giant Grin.

"Hi Mac, how did it go... do you know what they are? What did she tell you?" Carol said pulling Mac back up the stairs to her bed.

"Well I'm off bedrest." Mac said

"Nonsense... better safe than sorry I say," Carol said tucking her in. "Now rest yourself."

When Carol left the room, Mac smiled at herself... she had kept her cool. "That wasn't too hard she told herself as she slid out of bed again.

Carol returned just seconds later with a fresh night gown for Mac. "What are you doing, you're not supposed to be out of bed? I swear you Allen women are so stubborn it's a wonder that you're still pregnant."

Mac bristled at the comment. She took a deep breath and began to count to ten. She wanted so much to stay calm. She waited until Carol left the room and picked up her phone. "Hello?"

"Please come back mommy… please please, please." Mac begged jokingly. Her mother chuckled. "She's smothering me."

"Mackenzie, be nice." Kate said.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Mac stated leaning back on the head board. "Rod was just saying he didn't know how to ask her to leave…"

"Why would you do that?" Kate asked surprised.

"Oh… I just came from Dr. Perkins Office." Mac recounted all of what the doctor had told her.

"Mac I'll come and see you every day while she's there…" Kate said, knowing how much the woman agitated her daughter. She knew how much danger her daughter was in… even if she didn't know it herself. Kate had gone through it with Mac, which is the reason she never had another child.

"Thanks Mom." Mac suddenly felttired.

"Your welcome, honey. See you in the morning."


	10. Hypertension

**Here's another burst of edutainment. Mac is 51/2- 6 months into this... and knowing that she is at risk of going prematurely they are throwing her a baby shower. The first half of this is fun. the second part of this is informative.

* * *

****Hypertension**

"Oh... this is so cute!" Mac said holding the most beautiful little dress for her baby. "Rebecca is going to look so adorable in this." Mac had fallen in love with the name after watching _Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farms_ while on the bedrest that had been forced upon her by Rod's mother.

She and Rod had initially argued. He wanted to name her Ellie. Eventually Mac prevailed on the first name and they had compromised on the middle name. So their daughter was now, Rebecca Elliott Calloway. However, they still hadn't figured out what to name their son.

"Oh Mac, look at the booties!" Sue said picking them up from the ground. "Can you believe how tiny their feet are going to be?"

Mac watched Sue pick up the booties with ease. She was so tiny compared to her. They were both at twenty-two weeks. Mac understandably though, looked to be around eight months along. She could barely see the ground, let alone actually pick something up off the ground. But she smiled at her friend's wife. She felt so normal now that Sue's pregnancy didn't rub her the wrong way anymore. In a much happier place now, Mac had begun to enjoy her children. "Oh so cute!"

"Just wait until those little feet are running around your house." Kate said holding up a pair of booties herself.

"Oh not to mention the sleep deprivation," a slight blond said returning Mac's hug. "I've got another gift for baby boy. Tom got so excited and wanted to buy him the store."

"Living in a house with three women can be draining I bet," Mac answered grabbing the other gift. She opened it carefully and smiled, "Oh... how sweet." It was a matching outfit for boys.

"You're probably gonna find a whole lot of that," Allison said with a smirk

"After a good week of trying to get them in matching outfits, you're just going to put them in the first thing that your hands hit on... and you better hope you reach into the right drawer," Josie said with a grin. "Luckily, I came prepared to remedy that.

She handed Mac the next present. It was a large wicker basket. "Oh wow... a hamper," Mac said truly appreciating the beauty of the basket.

"Open it."

When she did, she saw it was filled to the brim with onesies, socks and jumpers, in gender neutral colors.

"This way you can dress them in your sleep."

Mac laughed, "Perfect."

* * *

"Mackenzie," Dr. Perkins said coming into her office, after having done her weekly examination. An older man that stood about six inches taller than her followed the young black doctor, into the room. "This is Dr. Rossman, the doctor I was telling you about." 

All of the breath left Mac's body, as she realized what this meant. She turned to her mother, who had come to the appointment with her while Rod was in court. Kate took her daughter's hand and squeezed it for support. "Hello Miss Allen."

She only nodded.

"Mac... What happened just before you came to the appointment?" Dr. Perkins asked.

Mac shook her head. "Traffic. There was an accident."

"Were you angry or upset in any way?" Dr. Perkins asked.

"I got frustrated... but I did a little deep breathing and I felt calm." Mac paused and looked at her doctor. "Are you telling me it didn't work?"

"Your blood pressure was thirty-two points higher than your normal." Dr. Perkins, shook her head while sitting at her desk.

Dr. Rossman sat next to Mac on her other side. "Dr. Perkins called me to consult. And in my professional opinion, you need to be hospitalized so that we can monitor your condition."

"What does that mean?" Mac asked, knowing that this was probably not helping her condition any, no matter how gentle her doctors were trying to be.

"You are severely hypertensive, Mac. This may mean that you stay in the hospital for the rest of your pregnancy. We need your cooperation, so that your situation does not reach a toxemic level."

"Mac, honey," Kate said softly, "it's for the best really. Then you won't really have to do this again."

"Oh... okay. When do I go in?" Mac asked managing to keep her emotions in check. She really didn't feel sick, but if they said this would help, she would do it.

"You should drive out there after you leave here. Dr. Rossman has already made a space for your admission." Dr. Perkins looked at Kate. "Mom, you drive."

"Of course." Kate said taking the keys from her daughter's hands.

"I need to call Rod." Mac said standing and heading for the door. Just as she reached into her pocket book her phone began to ring. "Hey."

It was Rod calling to check on how the appointment went while he was on a short recess. "Hey, how did it go?"

"Are you sitting down?" Mac asked as she slid in her passenger seat.

"Oh no! I don't like the sound of that." Rod said. "Don't tell me there is actually three of them."

Mac laughed softly, glad from the distraction from her worry. "Thankfully, no."

"What's up Kiddo?" The concern in his voice was evident. Mac knew that he had court and that if she made this too big he wouldn't be able to concentrate, and either leave the court or not do as well as he would have had he been worry free.

"Nothing big, I'm going into the hospital for some diagnostic things, it will take a while. I'll call you later in the afternoon, okay?"

Kate looked at Mac, realizing that her daughter did not tell her husband exactly what was happening for his sake and agreed. She herself hadn't told Michael how toxemic she had been until the last possible moment, so that his mind would have been completely at the tasks at hand. She patted her daughter's hand and started the car, heading straight for the hospital.

"Okay hon, I should be out by three thirty."

"I love you." Mac said softly.

This gave Rod a pause. It wasn't what she'd said, it was the when she'd said it and the tone in which she did so. "I love you too, Mac." Then the line went dead. He looked at his watch and then made a few calls. He was going to try to get someone to cover his hearing. He wasn't going to wait around; Mac needed him. And after what happened before when they'd separated, there was no way he wasn't going to be there for her... right now.


	11. The Situation

**Short chapter on what's going on with Mac and what happened to Kate.--S.K.**

**

* * *

The Situation**

Rod rushed to the hospital as quickly as he could. It had taken him longer than he would have liked but he couldn't get anyone to cover his hearing so he had to be there initially. Fortunately, the judge and everyone else was willing to delay the hearing until a later date so he could be with Mac. He had to be there for her... be there with her. She hadn't said much on the phone but his gut told him it was serious.

When he got to the hospital, Kate spotted him first and called out to him. "She's on the high risk floor. She's okay... for the moment. But she has been admitted and his being watched closely."

"What is it?" Rod asked as he nervously kissed her on the cheek.

"Her blood pressure is very high. They're keeping her here to better monitor her condition."

"And the twins?"

"They're fine. The real immediate danger is for Mac."

Rod nodded. He was scared. He had to see his wife.

As he moved towards her room, Kate called out, "Rod, wait. We need to talk before you see her. You need to understand how serious this is."

He turned around and walked back to where she stood. He was really terrified now, especially once he saw the look on his mother-in-law's face. "Okay... Kate, what's really going on?"

She touched his arm. "Let's go sit down in the waiting area." Once they were seated, Kate said, "I had this same condition when I was pregnant with Mac. It's called preeclampsia or toxemia. There is no cure except to deliver the babies. Mac doesn't know that I had it with her."

"What could happen?" Rod asked.

"She could suffer liver and kidney damage and failure. If it becomes severe then it becomes eclampsia. If that happens, then she could have seizures, a stroke, lapse into a coma and even die."

"Oh God!" He didn't want to believe what he was being told.

Kate put her hand on his knee. "Rod, there's more you need to know. I, too, was pregnant with twins. Mac doesn't know this and we can't tell her... not nowanyway. My condition became severe. I hemorrhaged and the other baby was stillborn."

Rod was stunned. He'd had no idea Mac was a twin. "Kate, I don't know what to say. I'm so sorry."

"I know. But that's not why I told you. Rod, family history is a factor here. What happened to me could happen to Mackenzie."

When her words made it into his conscious mind, he felt cold all over. All he could think to do was lean forward with his head held in his hands and pray for his wife and their children.

Kate's heart went out to him. She was scared but her fears were nothing compared to what she knew he must be feeling. She knew the love this man had for her daughter and their babies. "I just wanted you to know, how truly serious this was, so that you did not walk in there blindly. Mac doesn't understand, and I don't think it would do any good for her to know. It would only make things worse."

Rod nodded and stood up trying to compose himself. "You're right."

"Rod..." Kate said placing a hand on his shoulder. "Go be with her, She's scared I know it, she needs you."

Rod kissed her and again moved towards Mac's room. However, before he went in, he took a deep breath. Time, he thought, to put on a happy face. When he went inside, he noticed the bed closest to the door was empty. Then he heard that familiar voice he loved so much.

"She's so beautiful Esther, Bless you."

Rod peeked around the curtain. Mac was sitting with the woman in the bed next to her.

"Hi," he said shyly.

Mac smiled and reached a hand out to him. "Hi," She looked back at the woman and introduced her husband to her and the baby. "Guess what? Esther's husband's name is Rod, too. He went home for the baby's things."

"A pleasure." Rod said to Esther and hernewdaughter Elliott. "I think you need to get to bed, honey."

"Okay, bye Esther."

"Bye." Esther replied. "Thanks for the name, Mac."

"You gave her Elliott?" Rod asked as he helped her settle into bed.

"She looks like an Elliott doesn't she?" Mac said settling back.

"So... are we keeping the name?" He sat next to her on the bed.

"I don't think it's fitting... I would love for Elliott to have her own identity."

"You did it again." Rod said, but he was smiling with his eyes.

"How about Theresa?" Mac asked with a smirk.

Just then, however Kate came into the room.

"How about Katherine?" Rod said, as he winked at his mother-in-law. "Rebecca is my grandmother's name too, even if you got it from a movie. I think Katherine goes nicely with it."

Mac looked at her mother. She was not one to advocate things like that.

"Don't look at me. You know how I feel about it." Kate sat down on the chair next to the bed. "I thought you had Rebecca's name all decided."

"I thought so, too, but Mac gave away her middle name to a very deserving little girl." Rod answered kissing Mac's hand. "Besides, I like Rebecca Katherine much better."

"What about my little grandson?" Kate asked.

"Well, if we're going to name Rebecca after your grandmother, what's your grandfather's name?" Mac asked. She knew she hadn't liked the name and therefore, had made no attempt to keep it in her memory.

"Horace. But... I don't know, Mac." Rod didn't really like the name either.

"Horace Michael isn't quite so bad..." Mac said considering it.

"You have to admit, it's different,." Kate said. "No matter, you've got plenty of time. I just came in to say I was going to head home. Dad is leaving on a short assignment so he can be back for when the twins are born."

"Give him my love." Mac said as she squeezed her mother's hand.

"Absolutely, Good night."

When Kate was gone, Rod and Mac sat back side by side on the bed. Mac lay her head on the crook of his arm and he held her.

"It's really bad isn't it?" Mac asked softly.

"You... are the most amazing woman. You'll be great."

"You really think so?" Mac asked. " I mean what is all of this doing to the twins."

"Horace and Rebecca will be fine. Just relax because the more worried you get, the worse it gets."

Mac smiled hearing the twins' names. "Horace, and Rebecca... That really does sound perfect."

"All I know is thatourson better be cool because a name like that can make him a target."

"It sounds great though." Mac said teasingly.

"Yeah... it does have a nice ring to it. Besides, he's my boy so of course he's going to be cool." Rod kissed his wife's forehead. "Get some sleep. I'll be right here."

"Thank you." Mac closed her eyes and fell into a light sleep.

Rod continued to hold her, one hand resting on their growing family and again silently praying for all of their safety.


	12. Baby Blues

**Baby Blues**

At first Mac didn't mind being in the hospital. She got to see all of the new babies. They were so cute. She frequently would get out of bed to hold them and to visit with their mothers. She learned a lot just by watching their interactions.

She couldn't understand why her doctors seemed so concerned. She felt great. Rod spent much of his free time with her. Together they enjoyed the in-utero antics of their very active children and planning Horace and Rebecca's futures.

However, after four weeks, she was going insane. The walls were closing in on her. Though their trips around the hospital with Rod pushing her in a wheelchair helped, they didn't alleviate the problem.

By week five, Mac was terribly depressed. All she saw around her was healthy babies and healthy mothers. Babies and mothers who came and went like the rising and setting of the sun, none of them staying for long... and even worse, all of them having what appeared to be a very easy time of the entire experience.

For her, however, it was a never-ending struggle. She'd had enough. She refused to get out of bed. She spent her days drifting in and out of consciousness with the curtain drawn tightly around her bed. And the regular sounds of crying babies or cooing mothers was pure torture... like someone scraping fingernails down a bulletin board

After the third day of this, Rod came into the room and sat on the chair next to the bed. "Honey, what's going on?"

"Nothing," she said, folding her arms across her now enormous mid-section and looking away. Suddenly, as if on cue, the baby on the other side of the curtain began to wail. "I wish she'd shut that thing up," Mac muttered to herself as she turned over on her side and placed her pillow over her head.

Rod looked towards the curtain and then back at his wife hoping the woman on the other side hadn't heard his wife's complaint. He moved to sit on the other side of the bed so he could see her face. "Mac..."

"What, Rod? She'll get pregnant again... she's done it four times in five years," Mac whispered to her husband, a bit annoyed.

"Sit tight, I'll be right back." Rod said and made his way out to the nursing station.

"Hey Mr. Calloway, I bet Mac is a bit happier now that you're here," Mac's regular nurse, Arrita, said to him as he exited the room.

"Arrita, do you have private rooms?"

Arrita smiled a knowing smile. "I thought you'd never ask."

* * *

"There you go Mac. Everything is nice and quiet."

Mac rolled her eyes at Arrita She was still irritable and hated having to remain in the hospital.

"It would be much better if this were my bed, and my husband were allowed in it."

"I won't tell if you don't tell," Arrita said. She was used to women like this. Mac was the woman that will never feel comfortable inactive. She was excited about what she was doing, but scared at the same time. Arrita understood it. She patted Rod's shoulder on the way out.

He turned to his wife and frowned a little. "I thought this would be better..."

"It is Rod..." Mac said with a sigh. "It's just a lot harder than I expected...

"I know, honey. You know I'd take your place if I could," he said coming to join her on the bed. He figured that maybe a little cuddle time would help raise her spirits. He knew it would certainly boost his own.

Mac scooted over to allow him to climb on the bed next to her. It felt so good, she realized, once he was settled next to her, to just be in his arms again... even if it was like this and not in the comfort of their own home.

After a few minutes, Mac told her husband quietly, "I quit the firm"

Rod stopped all activity with his hands. He was shocked. "You did what?"

"Well,I think your mom was right. Maybe I should stay home with the twins once they are here."

"Is that part of what's bothering you?" Rod moved slightly away from her so he could really study her face.

"I don't know," she told him honestly. "I feel pretty all mixed up right now. I'm not entirely sure about anything. The truth is that I haven't been happy there for a long time. I want to make a difference. Practicing law shouldn't just be about making money. I want to help people... and I really want to actually litigate. You know, get in the court room on a regular basis…like you do."

"Oh, I see." It suddenly occurred to him how little they'd spoken about work–about anything other than her pregnancy and the babies in months. No wonder she was going nuts. "You know Carl just moved over to the DA's office. Why don't you call him when you're ready. They might be looking for someone else a little bit down the road. Full-time, part-time or whatever you want. You know I'll support whatever decision you make."

Mac smiled slightly, and reached out for his hand. "That's a great idea. I'll do that... when I finally can. You know after these two monsters finally make their appearance," she said gesturing to her stomach with a tilt of her head. "But in the mean time, tell me what court's like?"

"Mac, you know what it's like."

"No, I mean what is it like when you're working it."

Rod smiled. "You'll love it." He spent the rest of the evening describing his last visit at court... and Mac's blues were forgotten… if only for a little while.


	13. Born Too Soon

**Thank you guys so much for the reviews andyour good wishes. Here is this don't be too mad at me because.--sk

* * *

Born Too soon**

Mac was having a bad day. She was hot one minute and cold the next. She knew she should stay in bed, but she just couldn't take it anymore. The walls were closing in on her. She got out of bed and walked into the hallway.

However, just three yards from her room, Rod spotted her. He was coming around the corner. "Mac, where are you going? You need to stay in bed."

Mac turned to face him. "I had to get out of there, I'm going crazy in that room. I'm hot, I'm cold..."

"Honey, you need to be careful," he said coming to her and holding on to her arm.

"Let me go.. I'm fine," she said jerking out of his grip. "Just don't patronize me. I'm not an infant or an invalid."

"We need to get back to your room..." He insisted without touching her. He hoped is gentle persistence would be enough. She'd been incredibly irritable since she started to feel contractions the week before.

Mac shook with frustration. Her head began to ache, and her belly tightened. "Don't you understand, I'm tired... I want to go home... and I'm done... I don't want to do this anymore."

"Mac, please... the babies could die..." He immediately wished he had kept that information to himself.

"What do you mean?" Mac asked as Arrita came towards their voices.

"Mac... lets get back in your room, dear." Arrita guided a dazed and aching Mac towards her room.

"My kids can't die because I needed to take a walk, can they?"

Arrita sat her down on her bed and rolled the blood pressure machine closer to her.

"Arrita?"

The nurse tsked and shook her head, "Way too high. Please lay down Ms Allen."

Arrita never called her that, she realized. "What is it, what have I done?"

"Just relax," Rod said softly.

"Your husband is right, I'm calling Dr. Rossman." Arrita said walking out of the room.

"Rod, please tell me what's going on," Mac pleaded as their eyes locked.

He took a deep breath. He didn't want to do this now, but what choice did he have. She had to understand. "Did you know you were a twin?" Rod started.

Mac listened intently as he told the story of her birth and of the death of the twin brother she never knew she had.

As he spoke about what he had learned from her mother, her monitor began to ring, signaling an increase in her blood pressure. He should have known not to give her too many details. She was even more stressed. What have I done, he asked himself.

Arrita and another nurse burst into the room. They were afraid Mac might have a stroke so they immediately attempted to give her a mild sedative to try and decrease her blood pressure. But as they gave her the shot, her water broke. They immediately sent a bewildered Rod outside and got Mac ready for surgery. They couldn't stop delivery now.

XXXXXXXX

Rod sat in the waiting area, moved to tears by his wife's predicament.

Kate walked on to the floor and saw him there. She placed her hands on his back as she walked around to sit next to him. He didn't look up. Kate pulled her son-in-law into her arms and held him. "What Happened?"

"She's pre-eclemptic, and near eclampsia. It's my fault, I shouldn't have answered her," Rod said into his hands.

It was as if a cold hand wrapped around her heart. "Where is she?"

"They just took her in for an emergency C-Section."

"Michael is flying back from Italy tonight."

"She will be happy to see him when this is over."

"Are you kidding, you'll have to be crazy to come between him and his baby girl."

"I just pray that she makes it through this," he was completey despondent. " I'd rather have her than the kids if it comes down to it."

"It will be okay. Do you want to pray with me?" Kate asked extending her hand to him.

He took it and they both bowed their heads to pray.

XXXXXX

Meanwhile in the delivery room, Mac lay on the table unconscious, her blood pressure dangerously high and the twins now in clear distress. Her doctor made the incision on her lower abdomen and quickly reached in for Horace, who was in major distress because he was tangled in his umbilical chord and seemed to have breathed in some amniotic fluid in his struggle. They cut him free... but he remained blue. Immediately he was rushed to an incubator at the other end of the room, where pediatric specialists frantically began to work on him.

As team one worked on Horace, Team two was poised and ready to help Baby number two out of their mother. Three minutes after her brother, Rebecca was uneventfully removed from her mother's womb. She, too, was rushed to an incubator where a second pediatric team worked with her.

Relieved that the twins were safely delivered, Dr. Rossman and Dr. Perkins turned their attention to Mackenzie. But as they made the final few stitches, she began to convulse. "She's seizing," Dr. Rossman practically shouted. "I need 20mg of phenobarb immediately."

Both doctors continued to work on Mac, who was now in grave danger. "Come on, Mackenzie," Dr. Perkins said aloud, "don't do this to your babies. You did so well this time... Don't you dare die on me now!"


	14. Aftermath

**Aftermath**

"Mr. Calloway," Dr. Perkins said looking at Rod a bit nervously.

"Is Mac all right? Are the babies okay?" he asked anxiously. He had been going crazy, pacing the waiting room like a madman, wondering why it was taking so long. His whole life had been in that delivery room.

"Your daughter Rebecca is great. She's a fighter," the doctor informed him. "Of course, she's in the neonatal ICU along with her brother. They are co-bedding so that they don't feel alone. As that is a benefit of being a twin." The young doctor turned to the doctor that had come with her. "This is Dr. Redding, he is the twin's neonatologist."

"How's Horace?" Kate asked tentatively. "How is my daughter?"

"Horace is in critical condition. He has been intubated, so has Rebecca. But he was born with his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck and was in some serious distress. There is an incredibly broad base of complications that could arise in their conditions."

Kate placed a hand on Rod's shoulder as he listened to the condition of his children, then she looked over at Dr. Perkins and took her aside. "How's my baby?"

The doctor took Kate's hand and squeezed it. Then she looked over to Rod and came closer to him. "After the twins were delivered, Mac's blood pressure spiked. She suffered minimal renal damage. But she had a stroke and we won't know the extent of the damage until she wakes.

Rod and Kate looked at each other. She took his hand in hers. "Can we see them?"

"The twins are still getting settled while Mac is asleep in the intensive care unit two floors down."

"Thank you, doctor." Rod immediately went downstairs to his wife.

* * *

He saw her sitting there, her face etched with concern. He hated to see his wife that way. Michael had been trying to tie up some loose ends on his ship so that he could get home and wait for the arrival of his grandchildren. So when Kate called him to tell him that Mac was in the delivery room, he dropped everything and arranged a way to get back home.

He reached out to Kate. "How's our girl?" he asked taking a seat next to her.

She placed a hand over his and sighed. "She had a stroke Michael."

"Oh God," he said his face in his hands. "You know when she was trying, I thought how great it would be if Rod would get his way. She'd been so hot and cold about pregnancy from the beginning. Every time she found out that she wasn't pregnant, she would talk adoption, and somehow Rod would talk her into trying again."

"It's not either of your fault," Kate said taking one of his hands. "She did give up just before she found out she had nothing to give up."

"I really wanted to have more kids around. I loved having Mac, and I wish that Malcolm had made it. I would have loved to see them grow up together. "

Since they buried Malcolm, she had never heard Michael speak of him. She looked closely at her husband "You're still regretting the fact that you weren't there."

"I will always regret that," he said with a sigh before kissing her hand. "I pray that Mackenzie comes out of this one."

They stayed quiet for a few minutes, before Michael broke the silence again. "How'd he take it?"

"How do you think, Michael? He is totally blaming himself for this and hasn't left her side since he first found out about the stroke."

"Well, it is his fault," Michael muttered.

"Michael..." Kate rebuked him then smiled when she saw the familiar dimples appear on his cheeks.

"Well it is... How are the twins?"

Kate sighed. "Horace might not make it... though they put them together in the same incubator so that they wouldn't feel so isolated since Mac can't hold them."

"Have you seen them?"

"No... Let's go see our grandchildren," Kate said standing up.

Michael reached out to her and allowed her to lead him to where the kids were.

* * *

Rod watched as they checked his wife's reflexes.

"All four limbs are reacting, she may have full motility, if not immediately, in a few weeks. The stroke didn't affect her motor skills" Dr. Andrews, her internist, said.

Mac was still asleep. The only time he'd caught a glimpse of her brown eyes was when the doctor had checked her pupils. "So she'll be okay?"

"For the most part, this appears to have been a very mild stroke... But we'll have to see how her speech and language centers have been affected."

The doctor began to check other areas. As he pressed down on her abdomen, "Ahhh," escaped from Mac's lips.

"Hey hon, how are you feeling?" Rod asked leaning closer to her.

"_The babies, how are the babies?"_ Was what she wanted to say but, "Ahhh..." was all that came out.

"Are you in pain?"

"_I want to know how my children are?"_ Her frustrated expression shone through.

"Ms. Allen, listen to me... Your babies are in the Neonatal unit. You, on the other hand, have suffered a stroke. And apparently it has caused some damage to your language center... but I think that you will recover with a bit of therapy."

"_A what?" _Mac looked around to her husband and then to the doctor. She concentrated on what she wanted to say and was able to muster, "Ahh, ssstok?"

"Yes, Ms. Allen. But you can recover fully in time. I know you are tenacious."

"Seeeee, buh bes," **Mac** muttered

"Sure, I'll get someone to take you to them, okay?"

Mac sighed, glad that at least the doctor understood what she was saying. She looked at her husband, who looked both guilty and horrified.

"Lv ooh," she said softly.

"You have no idea how that makes me feel," Rod said kissing her hand. "I love you too, Mac."

She smiled, maybe she wasn't so bad after all. The aftermath of all of this was not going to end in tragedy... She had faith that God would see her through.


	15. Mamma's Boy

**sorry this took forever... I'm just taking a mental break LOL. This is where I'm ending this... I'm not sure if I need to elaborate anymore.

* * *

Mamma's Boy**

"Aren't they just incredible?" Kate said taking her husbands hand.

"Yes they are. Look at Horace, he seems to be regaining some color."

"I hope he survives Michael. I hate for Mac to have to go through the pain I endured." Kate reached in to touch Horace's little head with a gloved hand. The baby started at the touch, a slight tremble his only response. "They are so tiny... At least Mac and Malcolm were near term."

Just then Rod walked inside the nursery, his face only slightly less concerned than it had been before.

Kate smiled at him.

"Hi..." he told them, "Mac is awake if you want to go see her. I just had to come and see the twins before I brought her down."

"I'll get her," said Kate. "Stay with your children, Dad… they need to hear your voice. And Rod, congratulations. They're beautiful."

"Thanks Kate," Rod said with a grateful smile and a hug for his mother in law. Kate left the room, and he was left alone with Michael. "How are you, sir?" He asked coming closer to the incubator that held his children.

Michael watched as Rod approached, recognizing that his own well-being was the last thing his son-in-law was concerned about at the moment. He just wanted to see his children. Nevertheless, Michael appreciated the gesture. "I should ask you that."

Rod reached into the gloves on the side of the incubator and took hold of Rebecca's hand. He was delighted when she gave his finger a squeeze and rooted around for it with her mouth. "I don't know... scared mostly."

"When Mac was born, I felt the same way. I also felt guilty for not having been there enough. Then Malcolm died three days later. I never got to see him… I wasn't there," Michael said softly. "You're here Rod, that's what counts."

Rod smiled gratefully at his father-in-law. "It wasn't as if you had much of a choice, sir."

"And you couldn't have stopped her from having a stroke," Michael said. "No one can blame you for wanting only what any natural man would want with his wife."

Rod looked down at his son and stroked his head softly he held his little hand, only he didn't do the same as his sister. He just lay there limply, his struggle to breathe readily apparent. "Thank you."

"Here comes Mom!" Kate said pushing Mac's wheelchair towards the twins.

"Hi Baby," Michael said kissing his daughter on her cheek then stroking it.

"Ah...da." Mac said raising both her hands to show him she was not paralyzed.

Michael smiled a concerned smiled and kissed her cheek again, "We'll leave you and your husband to your children. We'll visit later."

She nodded as both her mother and father walked out of the room.

Rod came to her and pushed her wheel chair up to the incubator. She saw all of the machines before her babies. There was a huge ventilator sitting on the side, bigger than the bed where her children lay, making little puffs of air blow into Horace's lungs. There was another machine next to the ventilator labeled C-pap. It was smaller and made a soft whirring noise and it was connected to a nasal cannula. Which reminded Becca to breathe.

To the other side of the incubator, was an IV pump, with small bags of fluid dripping into soft transparent tubing. One of the tubes was moving a bit vigorously, the other was not. Mac was a bit apprehensive. She didn't want to look. She didn't want to see her children at the other end of the machines. She didn't want to see them and not be able to hold them to comfort them.

Once they got as close to the twins as possible, Rod helped Mac stand up and sit at a stool near the incubator. Mac followed the IV tubing that had constant movement and saw Rebecca, rosy and red yet so tiny. She kept kicking her foot which moved her entire body, including her splinted arm with the IV. With her free hand the baby reached for the nasal cannula that was taped to her face. She didn't like those things in her nose and she was letting everyone know. _Well I can see we're going to have some battles you and me, _Mac thought letting out a breath as she reached into the glove to hold her hand. As Becca did the same with her hand as she had done with Rod's, Mac let a tear of relief fall down her cheek.

She turned her head to her son, and saw how he struggled even with the tube placed down his airway and his chest rising and falling along with the puffs of air emanating from the ventilator. She reached out to him and he started at the touch, his entire body trembling. _It's okay, Horace... mamma's here_, she thought. _Mamma's here._


End file.
